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Moving warner swasey no 3

metalwannabe

Aluminum
Joined
Jan 8, 2013
Location
new york usa
I just bought a warner swasey no. 3 lathe and I need some ideas for moving it.
Is there a way to lift it with straps around the bed? Or am I better off winching it onto a trailer?
Thanks in advance.
 
+1 For winching it on a roll back.

The truck driver I used was in idiot and about drooped the lathe when he was getting it off the bed. He didn't use the winch to control the decent, and the foot of the lathe hit a slick spot on the bed. And 12,000 lbs slid off the trailer with enough force to drive the opposite foot of the machine 8in into the ground...

If you do go the roll back route, use a good trucker. Or at least one that's not too arrogant to listen.
When done right, it's a good method.
 
I used a telehandler on my No 4. Lifted under the coolant pan. Don't be afraid to lift by that pan, its a lot heavier than you could ever imagine.

Josh
 
You can do it with a 5000lb forklift. Take the belt cover under the tray off and set it aside, it lifts off. Spread the forks all the way. Place the left fork just to the left of the drive belts, and the right fork under the middle of the coolant tray. The machine will be tail heavy that way, move the carriage and the turret as close to the chuck as possible to reduce that as much as you can. I moved mine that way quite a few times, no problems. If you have a larger forklift that can spread the forks farther, you'll be golden.

IIRC there are 2 threaded holes in the top of the headstock and one in the bed under the turret to receive eyebolts for lifting, but I've never done it that way.
 
You can do it with a 5000lb forklift. Take the belt cover under the tray off and set it aside, it lifts off. Spread the forks all the way. Place the left fork just to the left of the drive belts, and the right fork under the middle of the coolant tray. The machine will be tail heavy that way, move the carriage and the turret as close to the chuck as possible to reduce that as much as you can. I moved mine that way quite a few times, no problems. If you have a larger forklift that can spread the forks farther, you'll be golden.

IIRC there are 2 threaded holes in the top of the headstock and one in the bed under the turret to receive eyebolts for lifting, but I've never done it that way.

Thanks. I was kinda leery about picking it up by the coolant pan but it sounds like that might be the way to go.
Are they made of cast ?
 
Here is what I made to move mine. The two rails are bolted to 4 cross beams after the machine is lifted an inch and the two side rails, with inside lips to hold the lathe's pedestals, are slid into place. Pipes under the rails and away we went. Winched right up onto a tilt trailer.

20140325_104835.jpg
 
on my #5 we used a fork lifts , and a low car trailer to haul it . They can be tippy , strapping them to the fork lift is not a bad idea and moving slowly is key. Steel on steel is slippery to , sometimes a piece of plywood in between is better if your on an un- even surface . On mine there's 2 cast in places for forks , there a little wide right under the chip tray and another machine I have has a pinch bolt to load on to a ship I think.
 
You can do it with a 5000lb forklift. Take the belt cover under the tray off and set it aside, it lifts off. Spread the forks all the way. Place the left fork just to the left of the drive belts, and the right fork under the middle of the coolant tray. The machine will be tail heavy that way, move the carriage and the turret as close to the chuck as possible to reduce that as much as you can. I moved mine that way quite a few times, no problems. If you have a larger forklift that can spread the forks farther, you'll be golden.




IIRC there are 2 threaded holes in the top of the headstock and one in the bed under the turret to receive eyebolts for lifting, but I've never done it that way.

Ive done it that way, with the eye bolts, swings around a bit when you move the forklift, can give you a bit of a pucker..........if you were going to lift it with a crane or maybe a tow truck with a boom it might be a great way to go..........Tim
 
You can do it with a 5000lb forklift. Take the belt cover under the tray off and set it aside, it lifts off. Spread the forks all the way. Place the left fork just to the left of the drive belts, and the right fork under the middle of the coolant tray. The machine will be tail heavy that way, move the carriage and the turret as close to the chuck as possible to reduce that as much as you can. I moved mine that way quite a few times, no problems. If you have a larger forklift that can spread the forks farther, you'll be golden.




IIRC there are 2 threaded holes in the top of the headstock and one in the bed under the turret to receive eyebolts for lifting, but I've never done it that way.

Ive done it that way, with the eye bolts, swings around a bit when you move the forklift, can give you a bit of a pucker..........if you were going to lift it with a crane or maybe a tow truck with a boom it might be a great way to go..........Tim
 
Here is what I made to move mine. The two rails are bolted to 4 cross beams after the machine is lifted an inch and the two side rails, with inside lips to hold the lathe's pedestals, are slid into place. Pipes under the rails and away we went. Winched right up onto a tilt trailer.

View attachment 105521

That's how I was thinking about moving the one I'm working on getting. My trailer is a dove tail goose neck though.
 
Ive done it that way, with the eye bolts, swings around a bit when you move the forklift, can give you a bit of a pucker..........if you were going to lift it with a crane or maybe a tow truck with a boom it might be a great way to go..........Tim

Do you remember what size the eye bolts were? I won't be able to check till I go to pick it up:mad:
 
when we got our s&w lathe, it was in a barn.

loaded it onto a single axle trailer with a bobcat by hanging it from tow straps.

then proceeded to pull it 47 miles with a 4 cylinder s10 pickup.

im sure there was an easier way to do it, but the people i work for are just too cheap to pay to have it hauled.

so i improvised.

unloaded it with the forklift once back to the shop.

first lathe ive worked with in 25 years.

im just trying to get some reading done to educate myself on this machine.



lots of good info here.
 
Hey Ya'll,
Kinda late to the thread here.. but the lifting points are 5/8-11, two on the pulley side of the head stock and one in the middle of the bed.. Get thee over to vintage machinery sight and take a look at the service manuals. I , too have moved W&S's with fork lifts as Mud described.. I preffer to put them on skids and move them 'egyptian' style. ( Take note of picture on page 4 of service manual) They are tough, well engineered machines and can sluff off a lot of rough handling. ( far be it for me from me to be suggesting any machine abuse how ever )
Any way you can safely get one on and off it's transport is acceptable.. I, how ever prefer a skilled roll back driver.. ( I'm blessed with one as a neighbor.. the man is a artist at moving stuff around, even built his own custom 3 axis bed )
Stay safe
Calvin
PS gl1guy.. vintage machinery may be of use to you and your 'new' machine
 
Hey Ya'll,
Kinda late to the thread here.. but the lifting points are 5/8-11, two on the pulley side of the head stock and one in the middle of the bed.. Get thee over to vintage machinery sight and take a look at the service manuals. I , too have moved W&S's with fork lifts as Mud described.. I preffer to put them on skids and move them 'egyptian' style. ( Take note of picture on page 4 of service manual) They are tough, well engineered machines and can sluff off a lot of rough handling. ( far be it for me from me to be suggesting any machine abuse how ever )
Any way you can safely get one on and off it's transport is acceptable.. I, how ever prefer a skilled roll back driver.. ( I'm blessed with one as a neighbor.. the man is a artist at moving stuff around, even built his own custom 3 axis bed )
Stay safe
Calvin
PS gl1guy.. vintage machinery may be of use to you and your 'new' machine


thanks, will check it out.
 








 
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